USE OF LACTASE IN THE PREPARATION OF A STRAINED FERMENTED DAIRY PRODUCT

1 - 11 . (canceled)

12 . A method for manufacturing a strained fermented dairy product comprising the following successive steps:

(a) providing a dairy product,

(b) adding a lactase and a culture of bacteria comprising at least one strain of thermophilic lactic acid bacteria, with the provision that that it does not comprise any strain of mesophilic lactic acid bacteria, and fermenting the dairy product to obtain a fermented dairy product, and

(c) separating a liquid whey from the fermented dairy product by centrifugation to obtain a strained fermented dairy product,

wherein the strained fermented dairy product has a total protein content between 8% and 16%.

13 . The method according to claim 12 , wherein the dairy product provided in step (a) has a total protein content comprised between 2.8% and 4.6% (w/w).

14 . The method according to claim 12 , wherein the strain of thermophilic lactic acid bacteria is selected from Streptococcus sp., Lactobacillus sp., Bifidobacterium sp. and combinations thereof.

15 . The method according to claim 12 , wherein the strain of thermophilic lactic acid bacteria is selected from Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus, Streptococcus thermophilus and combinations thereof.

16 . The method according to claim 12 , wherein the lactase is added before the culture of bacteria.

17 . The method according to claim 16 , wherein the lactase is added 10 min to 40 min before the culture of bacteria.

18 . The method according to claim 12 , wherein the lactase is added in an amount of 0.005 wt % to 0.20 wt % based on the total weight of the dairy product.

19 . The method according to claim 12 , wherein the dairy product is fermented at a temperature between 25° C. and 44° C., for 3 hours to 25 hours.

20 . The method according to claim 12 , comprising an additional step (e) after step (c) of cooling the strained fermented dairy product to a temperature of between 1° C. and 10° C.

21 . The method according to claim 13 , wherein the dairy product provided in step (a) has a total protein content comprised between 3.1% and 4.0% (w/w).

22 . The method according to claim 13 , wherein the dairy product provided in step (a) has a total protein content comprised between 3.2% and 3.6% (w/w).

23 . The method according to claim 13 , wherein the strained fermented dairy product obtained has a total protein content comprised between 7% and 12% (w/w).

24 . The method according to claim 14 , wherein the strain of thermophilic lactic acid bacteria is selected from Lactobacillus bulgaricus, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus paracasei, Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus pentosus, Lactobacillus helveticus, Lactobacillus reuteri, Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus bifidus, Bifidobacterium bifidum, Bifidobacterium infantis, Bifidobacterium animalis, Bifidobacterium breve, Bifidobacterium longum, Streptococcus thermophilus, Streptococcus lactis, Streptococcus raffinolactis, Streptococcus cremoris and combinations thereof.

25 . The method according to claim 17 , wherein the lactase is added 20 min to 30 min before the culture of bacteria.

26 . The method according to claim 18 , wherein the lactase is added in an amount of 0.01 wt % to 0.15 wt % based on the total weight of the dairy product.

27 . The method according to claim 18 , wherein the lactase is added in an amount of 0.02 wt % to 0.06 wt % based on the total weight of the dairy product.

28 . The method according to claim 19 , wherein the dairy product is fermented at a temperature between 30° C. and 40° C., for 5 hours to 15 hours.